Humidifier



asxmm I I 0.1. RLEDGER. HUNHDIHER. APPLICATION FILED MAR-26, 1919.

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JZZJP/M W Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

@114 I Q p I D. J. PLEDGEH.

HUMIDIFIER. APPLICATION FILED MAB-2Q I919.

Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

awuv/wlioz fl. Jfpfe ol er' moisture, or on damp days.

auxiliary air DENNIS J. PLEDGER, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

HUMIIDIFIER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DENNIS J. PLnooEn, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Humidifiers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawlngs.

This invention relat es to attachments for internal combustion engines using gasolene or like fuel.

It is a fact well known to all skilled in the art that engines using gasolene as fuel do their best work at night when the atmosphere is liable to be more charged with Thus, it is ohvious gasolene is rendered more perfectly combustible by having a certain moisture content;

The object of my present, invention, generally speaking, is to provide a humidifier designed to apply that needed moisture at all times.

And a further object is to provide a humidifier which may be and is preferably used with. the auxiliary air valve illustrated in my pending application for patent, Serial No. 275,090, filed on the 5th da of February, 1919, and with means for heating the before its introduction into the intake manifold of the engine.

A further object is to provide means whereby the air may be warmed by passing warm water from the circulating system of a radiator through the air warming devices so that the moistened air will be heated and then returning the relatively cooler water to the radiator.

A further object is to provide a tank for this purpose into which warm water from the radiator is carried and from which the cooler water flows again to the radiator, and provide means for preventing this tank from being flooded with water.

Still another object is to provide an 1mproved connection between the tank and the radiator which will permit the tank and its attendant parts being readily removed whenever desired.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented M22122, man.

1919. Serial no. 285,253.

of a power plant of an automobile showing the application of my invention thereto;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the humidifying chamber;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the wall of the section 11 and showing the plunger 12; and

Fig. 1 is a fragi'nentary sectional view of the joint between thepipes 32 and 35.

My humidifier comprises essentially a tank composed of two portions.10 and 11, the portion 10 being open at its upper end, the portion 11 fitting over the upper end of the portion 10 aiid extending down along the side wall 01? the portion 10 and being there connected to the side wall by a-gwcb 12 provided with a plurality of air inlet apertures 13. The two portioils 1i) and 11 might be constructed integral with each other, or be joined to each other in any suitable manner. 7 Entering the side of the portion 10 is a hot water intake pipe 14 which, after it enters the tank 10, is upwardly extended and formed with a valve seat 15. Extending from the bottom of the portion 10 vis-an outlet pipe or nipple 16 provided with a valve seat 17. Normally disposed below both of these valve seats 15 and 17 are the valves 18 and 19 respectively, the valves opening upon a downward movement and closing upon an upward movement. Disposed within the tank and below the upper edge of the. section 10 is a float-2Q of any suitable construction having a stein'21 pass ing through a yoke bar 22 having eyes at its ends, the stem being held to the voke bar bv a cotter pin 23 or like means. The valve 18 is provided with the upwardly extending valve stem 24 passed through one of the eves of the bar 22 and hook-shaped at its upper end to engage said eye, while the valve 19 is provided with a relatively long stem 25 likewise hooked at its upper end and engaged in one of the eyes ht, the yoke, it will thus be seen that both of the valves will rise and tall together and that when the intake pipel l is closed, will also be closed, and vice versa. he noted from Fig. 2, that the section 11 theijtank is spaced that air entering through the perforations 13 may pass up and around the wall of the upper portion of the section 10 and that the two sections of the tank are held in this It will lllil the outlet pipe from the section 10 so i spaced relation and the section 11 supported upon the upper edge of the section 10 by means of angular brackets 26 disposed at intervals around the tank wall.

Extending from the upper end of the section 11 of the tank is a moist air conducting pipe 27 which may lead directly into the intake manifold of an engine, but Wlll preferably lead to a heating device, designated generally 28 in Fig. 1, and which may be of any suitable construction. This heating device is illustrated as being more or less saddle-shaped and as embracing or partially embracing the exhaust manifold 29 of the englue. I do not wish to be limited to this particular means of superheating the moist air. From this superheater 28 extends a pipe 30 which discharges through a valve such as that shown in my pending application before referred to into the intake manifold 31 of the engine between the carburetor and the inlet ports of the cylinders. i

The intake pipe 14 as illustrated in Fig. 1, is connected by a pipe 32 to the top of the usual radiator 33 so that warm or hot water is carried from the radiator into the tank, and the outlet pipe 16 is connectecLbv a pipe 34 to the pipe 35 conducting the cool water to the bottom of the radiator. It will thus be seen that there will be a constant current of warm water from the top of the radiator into the tank, and that therein the hot water will part with some of its heat and then pass downward'through the pipe 34 into the lower portion of the radiator.

It will be seen that the highest water level possible in the tank will be when the float 20 is raised so high thatboth valves 18 and 19 are closed. Normally the water-level is such that both valves are open, but when, for instance, the machine is on an incline so that the radiator of the car will be much higher'th an the tank, as when the machine is ascending a hill, then the water would flow back into the tank and flood it if it were not as soon as the tank commences to fill beyond a predetermined point, the float would cause both valves to close. These valves will remain closed so long as the sur -face of the water in the radiator is higher than the water level in the tank or higher than the extreme upper position of the float. As soon as the car again regains a level position, however, these valves open because of the siphonic action of the water and the circulation again becomes normal, that is the heated water will enter the tank by the pipe 14, give ofi its heat and vapor, and as it cools, sinks to the bottom of the tank and passes out through the pipe 34 to the radiator. It will be understood that the pipe 27 carries ofl' the vapor generated in the tank or the moistened air and that this vapor is carried to a superheater and thence to the engine in the form of ti. hot moist blast, in

tion.

which condition it secures the very best possible result when mixed with the fuel. If, for any reason, the valves should become stuck and refuse to work properly, and the tank should flood, the tank would overflow over the top of the section 10 and discharge through the erforations 13,-before the water reached the outlet pipe 27 and this'prevents the water from entering the combus, tion chamber of the engine. i

In Fig. 1, I show part of an automobile power plant and illustrate the relative position of my appliance. The tank is attached to the dashboard of a car by any suitable clamps or other attaching devices so that the float 20 will be on a level with the surface of the water in the radiator when the car is traveling on. level ground. The tubing 32 and 34, ,tnay be attached to the intake and outlet pipes of the radiator or might be connected to the water chamber of the engine,- but I prefer to attach these pipes to the ishort lengths of rubber hose 35 and 35i;'hsed on all motor cars between the engfne and the radiator in order to absorb vibration between the two parts.' As illustrated in Fig. 4 I provide detachable connection between the pipes 32 and 34, and these rubber pipes 35 and 35 leading to the radiator. This connection has the form of .95 a nipple 36 having a relatively large head or flange 37 disposed within the rubber pipe 35, this nipple being exteriorly threaded for its entire length. A nut 38 is turned down on this nipple and clamps the rubber pipes between the nut and the head of the nipple.

. coupling member 39 engages the screwthreads of the nipple and holds the flanged end of the pipe 34 or 32 thereto. It will be seen that this construction will permit the owner to disconnect this appliance at any time or connect it to the engine without the necessity of making openings in the radiator or engine casing. Furthermore, by attachinc the ends of the pipes 32 and 34'to the 1 ru' ber hose connecting the engine to the iadiator, all vibration is absorbed by the ose.

It is to be understood that there is normally a continuous circulation of the warm water moving from the radiator through pipe 32 into the receptacle or tank 10 and out through the pipes .16 and 34 to the radiator, and it is only when the machine is on an incline So that the radiator will be much higher than the-tank that-the valves 18 and 19 close so as to prevent floodinglof the tank. i

While I have illustrated a particular 1 form of my invention. I do not wish to be limited thereto, as it is obvious that many changes might be made in the details of construction and arrangement of parts without departing from th'espirit of the inveno iieratively connected I claim 1. The combination with an internal com bastion engine, of a tank receiving hot water from and discharging the cooler 'ater to the circulating system of the engine, the upper end of the tank above the -Waterline having a pipe leading to the intake pipe of the engine, means for admit ting air into the upper above the water line, and means permitting a constant circulation of Warm Water through the tank but preventing the Water rising in the tank beyond a predetermined, level.

A humidifier for internal combustion. engines comprising a tank having means whereby it may be connected to receive not ater from and discharge cooler water into the circulating system of an engine and having; a pipe leading from the upper end of the tank above the water line adapted to be to the intake inanifold of the engine, said tank having air inlet passages discharging directly into the upper portion of the tank above the water line, and means for permitting a constant circulation of warm water through the tank but preventing the water in the tank from rising above a predetermined level.

3. A humidifier for internal combustion engines comprising a tank formed in two sections, the upper section of the tank fitting over and being spaced from the lower sec tion of the tank to provide an air passage discharging directly into the upper portion of the tank, means for discharging hot water into the tank, removing; the cooled water therefrom, and discharging vapor from the upper portion of the tank and means for maintaining a constant circula tion of Water Within the tank and prevent ing the Water rising within the tank above a predetermined level.

it humidifier comprising a tank formed in tWo sections, the upper section being larger than the lower section and extending down around the upper portion of the upper section lout loeing spaced therefrom and having air inlet openings at the lower-end of the upper section permitting air to enter said space between the lupper end of the lower section to the lower portion oi. the outer section and pass directly upward into the upper part of the upper section, a vapor outlet pipe extending from the top of the tank, a water inlet pipe entering the lower section of the tank, a water outlet pipe extending from the bottom of the tank, and means preventing the rise of liquid in the tank above a predetermined level below the upper end of the lower section of the tank, said means normally permitting a constant circulation of water through the tank.

5. A humidifier comprising a tank formed in two sections, the upper section being portion ol? the tank larger than. [the lower section and extending down around the upper portion ofthe upper section out being spaced therctroni and having air inlet openings permitting air to enter said space between the upper section we and the lower sction and p s directly upward into the upper section of the tank, a vapor outlet pipe extending from the top of the tank, a water inlet pipe entering the lower section of the tank, a Water outlet pipe extending from the bottom Ol the tank, find. means preventing t. risclof Water in the tank beyond predetermined. maitimum level below the upper end oi the lower section of the tank and normally permitting a constant circulation cl Water through the lower section of tank, means including inlet and outlet valves, and a float operative connecten to both of said valves causing closing of liioth said valves 5 when the float beyond. a pi."edeterniinetl point,

6. A. humidifier comprisinga tank formed in two sections, the upper section being larger than. the lower section and extending W down around the upper portion oi the up per section but being spaced therelrom and having; air inlet openings permitting air to enter said. hetn'een the upper and lower sections and pass directly to the upper portion of the tank, a vapor outlet pipe extending from the top oil the tank, a Water inlet pi pc entering: the lower section of the tank, a water outlet pipe extending from, the hottom or the tank, means for preventingthe rise of liquid within the tank beyond a predetermined. level and above the upper end or the lower section ofthe tank and. normally permitting a constant circulation of water through the tank, said means in cluding inlet and outlet pipes, valves controlling passage through both oil said pipes, and float actuated means disposed within the tank closing both of said valves; when the water in the tank rises to a predetermined. point.

"Z. A humidifier comprising a tank having an outlet pipe extending from its upper end and having leans for admitting air into the upper p l .on of tank, a hot Water inl ct pipe enteringthe tank below its upper end and ext-endine upward and "formed with a valve seat, a discharge pipe extending up ward into the bottom of the tank and having a disposed within said and having upwardl extendingvalve stems, and a float in. the tank operatively connected to said valve stems to cause the simultaneous closing of the valves when the float rises and the simul 12o taneous openin at the valves upon a fall of the 'lloat.

BI A. humidifier comprising a tank having a bottom s ction and a top section, the top section lacing larger in diameter than the lac lla valve scat and upwardly closing; valves lid a no. N

bottom section and extending downward. therefrom and spaced from the wall of the bottom section to thereby form an air pasextending up around the side wall of the bottom section, and permitting air to pass directly into the upper portion of the tank, a vapor discharge pipe extending from. the top of the top section, a hot water inlet pipe, and cool Water outlet pipe extending from the bottom section, and means preventing the liquid in the bottom section rising to a height above the upper edge of the bottom section, said liquid acting to heat the air entering between the sections.

9. A humidifier including av hot water tank composed of a bottom section and a top section, the top section being larger in diameter than. the bottom section but extending down over the bottom section in spaced relation thereto and having air open 7 spitce between said sections, brackets attached to said top section projecting inward therefrom and adapted to ride upon the upper edge of the wall of the bottom section and hold the sect-ions in spaced relation, a vapor pipe extending from the top section, and inlet and outlet pipes extending into and from the bottom section, and means preventing the hot water within the bottom section rising above the upper edge of the bottom section.

10. T he combination with an internal combustion engine, a radiator therefor, an intake manifold therefor, of means for heat ing and humidifying air for the intake inanifold comprising a hot water receiving tank operatively supported in conjunction with the engine and having a vapor discharge pipe extendingtrom this upper end and opcratively discharging apor into the intake-manifold of the engine, said tank haves permitting the entrance of air to the manner ing an inlet pipe in its side wall, an outlet pipe in its bottom and air inlet openings discharging into the upper portion of the tank, float operated Valves in the tank acting to prevent the flooding of the tank but normally open to permit a circulation of water therethrough, and connections be tween the upper portion of the radiator and the inlet pipe of the tank and between the lower portion of the radiator and the outlet pipe of the tank.

11. The combination with an internal combustion engine, a radiator therefor, an intake manifold therefor, of means for heating and humidit'ying air for the intake manifold comprising a hot water tank operati'vely supported in conjunction with the engine and having a vapor dischiirge pipe extending from its upper end and operztively connected with the intake manifold of the engine, said tank having an inlet pipe in its side wall, an outlet pipe in its bottom and having air inlet openings discharging into the upper portion of the tank, float oper ated valves in the tank acting to prevent the flooding of the tank but normally open to permit a circulation of water therethrough, connections between the upper portion of the radiator and the inlet pipe of the tank and between the lower portion of the radiator and the outlet pipe of the tank, including flexible tubes connecting the circulating system of the engine with the upper and lower portions of the radiator, and detachable connections between said last named pipes and said tubes.

In testimony whereof I hereunto atlix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.-

DENNIS J. PLEDGER.

llitnesses:

Hnwnr W, Roemson, FRED J. Emerson. 

